The invention relates to processes for producing silahydrocarbons.
Organosilicon fluids are well known and used as additives or substitutes for hydrocarbon oil based hydraulic fluids. For instance, hydraulic fluids comprising alkyl substituted silanes exhibit desirable properties even when subject to wide variations in temperature, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,471 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,335 which disclose hydraulic fluids comprising tetraalkylsilanes in which the alkyl groups are the same or different.
As demands increase for fluids having greater versatility and particularly oxidative stability at elevated temperatures in oils, greases, and hydraulic fluids, more attention has been directed toward silahydrocarbons, such as tetraalkylsilanes.
A disadvantage in the preparation of silahydrocarbons such as tetraalkylsilanes is the excessive time required for reaction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,343 describes reactions for preparation of tetraalkylsilanes requiring 18 to 40 hours to complete. Similarly an article by Tamborski et al, Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev., (1983) 22, 172-178 describing reactions requiring 18-48 hours to complete.
The heretofore known methods of preparing tetraalkylsilanes are time consuming and therefore costly. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide methods of preparing tetraalkylsilanes with substantial reductions in reaction time.